The Fear Within, The Horror Without
by BeatleBiscuit
Summary: A young case of Chin's comes back to Hawaii, ready to face his fears. What happened 8 years ago should be a thing of the past. But his past isn't done with him. Will he allow Chin and 5-0 to help him as the horror unfolds? Rated M just to be safe! ON SLIGHT HIATUS AS I HAVE WRITER'S BLOCK!
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters from the fabulous Hawaii 5-0. If I did, there'd be a lot more Danny suspense! Enjoy!

Chapter One

The airport was crowded, people milling about and rushing to catch their planes. Music was cut when attendants announced flights that were boarding or arriving. Lights were bright and natural. The building was clean.

Cody Lawson adjusted his backpack on his shoulder and glanced around. He let out a sigh. As usual there was no one there to wait for him. There was no family. It had become a thing of the past for him to feel the sadness that would appear when he saw people greeting their loved ones with hugs and kisses. It didn't matter anymore. He pushed on passed the people and towards baggage claim.

It was strange being back on the island. It had been 8 years since he had set foot in Oahu. Memories of the past hit hard as he glanced around. The airport was still as familiar as it had always been. The last time he had been in there, it was rushed and he wasn't allowed to do much other than walk and be surrounded by two detectives. But things hadn't changed.

He waited silently for his suitcase to spin around towards him and grabbed it quickly, pulling the handle up and kicking out the wheels. It was natural for him to keep his eyes on everyone and everything. It was something he had been doing everywhere he went. It was a settled in instinct.

"Home sweet home." he mumbled and began walking towards the exit.

"Cody?" the voice of a familiar yet aged man called out. Cody tensed and glanced around quickly. He was ready to bolt if need be.

But he relaxed as he realized he knew the man. He knew him very well.

"Chin Ho Kelly." it was a simple answer to a simple question.

Chin smiled brightly and trotted over to him. He wrapped the 24 year old in a hug, filing away the action of Cody tensing and pulling out of the hug quicker than Chin did.

"Gosh you've grown. It's been what? 8 years?" Chin asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets and leaning on one leg.

"Practically. It's been a while. I see the island hasn't changed much." Cody said, glancing around the airport. Chin could tell that Cody had changed since he last escorted him to the plane 8 years ago and the change didn't seem that much for the better. Cody was jumpy, on high alert with everything that crossed his line of sight. He had a lot of questions for the younger man. But standing in the middle of the airport with people milling about didn't seem like a good idea for the flighty boy.

"C'mon. Let's go across the street to Ilana's for some coffee. You do have time to catch up with an old friend don't you?" he asked.

Cody considered the idea. He wasn't in any hurry to get to _that _house. It wasn't on the top list of things he ran through in his mind. And if getting coffee with Chin bought him some more time, it was worth it.

"Sure. Just let me find somewhere to put my bag." he said. Chin shook his head.

"Don't bother. My car is parked out front. I was dropping off a cousin to catch their plane. You can store them in there. It'll be easier than catching a cab." he said, indicating with his head which direction to walk. Cody followed him silently to the front of the large building and out the automatic doors. The sun was bright in the sky, a slight breeze blowing. It seemed just like paradise. Or rather the paradise advertised by everyone but him. It hadn't been paradise for a long time. Just a haunting place.

Chin was driving a dark blue truck with back seats. It seemed brand new, seemingly no specks of dust. The older man unlocked the doors and pulled them open, taking Cody's bag from him and laying it in the back seat. Cody then threw his backpack in as well. Slamming the doors, Chin locked it back up and pointed across the street.

"You remember Ilana's don't you?" he asked as they waited for the traffic to pass by. Cars were passing in front of the building faster than they should have and the security seemed to be lacking alertness. They drove by at a slower pace but weren't paying attention enough to do their jobs. Chin caught an opening in the cars and began crossing the street.

Cody grabbed him by the back of his shirt and yanked him back just as a yellow mustang whizzed by, way over the speed limit. Chin could feel the air as it whooshed off the car. He stumbled back to the curb and glanced at Cody.

"I see your instincts have sharpened." he joked. Cody raised an eyebrow.

"What do you expect?" he asked.

After about five minutes, they were able to cross the street and trotted into Ilana's. It was cooler than the outside air which was beginning to get muggy, signs of oncoming rain. There was a new coat of paint on the wall and several new workers that Cody had never met before. He glanced around quickly before approaching a table that Chin had picked out for them. It was slightly to the left of the windows and Cody sat in the seat facing them.

A smiling waitress came over to them with a pad and paper.

"What can I get for you today Chin?" she asked, ready to write.

"The usual Kalea. Cody, what do you want?" Chin asked.

"Coffee, two creams." Cody replied, resting his elbows on the table. Kalea wrote everything down and smiled widely.

"I'll get that right out to you gentlemen." she said before skipping back to the counter.

"Cheerful place." Cody noted. Chin laughed.

"The young ones are out of school and anxious to make some money. Not all of them can make it into college." he said. He rested his arms on the table and crossed them over his chest.

"So how've you been Cody?" he asked. His voice had become much more serious and his face implored Cody to answer.

"I manage."

Chin dipped his head and shook it.

"It's gotta be hard to be back on the island after the only memory you have of leaving was being escorted secretly to the airport to board a plane to LA." he said.

"I've gotten over it. In fact I'm trying to forget but it's pretty hard when everything you look at brings back every single memory of what happened. But I guess that's not something I can change." Cody told him, quieting when Kalea brought out their drinks. They were silent as she sat everything down.

"Let me know if you need anything else." she said, batting her eyelashes at Chin and walking off.

"Someone has a crush on you." Cody reported, a small smile appearing on his face. It was nice to see something bright in the gloom of the day.

"Kalea always takes my order. I stop in for coffee sometimes before work and she's gotten used to seeing me here." Chin said, waving it off. He looked back to the counter before turning a frown to Cody.

"Not to sound completely rude, but why did you come back?" he asked. He stirred some cream into his coffee and watched the steam rise from the heated cup.

"When I got to LA, I finished out high school, graduated almost right away. You know me and my brain. Well, I got into college, the administrators ecstatic that they got the 16 year old high school graduate walking their halls. It's all about prestige you know. Got my bachelor's degree in forensic criminal psychology. I've got one more year of schooling before I get my Phd in it. That's nine years of schooling right there. Anyways, I figured it was time. Time to face my demons, no matter how scary the monsters are." Cody gave the short version.

Chin sighed and closed his eyes, shaking his head.

"Cody, why would you choose a job in that field? With everything that happened..." he started but was cut off.

"I chose forensic psychology because I have to know why he did what he did. He ruined my life for one reason or another and the only way I'll be able to let this rest is to know what he was thinking when he massacred them." Cody's voice was wavering. He shut up before any tears could be shed. He brought his drink to his lips and sipped it, ignoring the burning heat that sent fire through his throat.

"I'm not trying to be rude Cody. There's just been so much pain in your life already. I did what I could back then but you can't let yourself go through this again. I don't know how much more I can do this time." Chin said, obviously conflicted.

"I was a kid then Chin. A small scrawny fifteen year old who was scared out of his mind after everything he had seen. You were doing what you could and I appreciate it. But I just don't need anyone right now. I can't need anyone. I've come this far on my own with only school money from distant family members. No one has been let in. I'm sorry but I'm just not about to start." Cody said with a hard edge to his voice.

Chin swallowed the last of his coffee before leaning back in his seat. Cody's words hurt. Chin had been nothing but a friend to him. Eight years ago, Cody leant on him, needed him around for support through the police questioning, the reporters, the trial. But now it seemed that eight years had not changed Cody for the better. This Cody was more distant and hard, feeling that possibly everyone was out to get it. It wasn't a good thing.

"Cody, you have to let someone in. It's not healthy to ignore the support and help that is given to you. Everyone on the island thinks your dead after you disappeared to the airport. You don't even use a real name in LA. It may have been alright with the dean of your college as I would assume you would need the right name on your diploma. But no one knows where you are; it's like you don't even exist." he tried to explain.

"That's the idea. Serial killers can't kill what they can't find." Cody told him quietly.

They were both quiet, taking in information that was given and taken.

"You aren't going to let me help you are you?" Chin asked him. Cody looked at him for a split second before averting his eyes, unwilling to look at the police officer.

"No. Look Chin, it's great to see you again. It's nice that you want to help. I appreciate it. I really do. I just don't...need you right now." he said in finality.

Chin narrowed his eyes but nodded.

"Alright. At least let me give you a ride wherever you need to go." he said.

If Cody didn't want help, that was fine. Chin didn't want to push the subject. But he wanted to see Cody safely to his location, wherever that was.

"That's okay. I would rather take a cab. You must be busy and have to get back to work. Don't worry about it." Cody said.

Sighing heavily, Chin stood up and went to pay the tab. Cody sat at the table, a crestfallen look on his face. He didn't want Chin to be mad at him. That was the least of his needs. Whether he liked it or not, it was a good idea to have someone on his side, as a last resort. And yet he sensed the disappointment in his old friend's attitude. He tried not to think about it. His mind drifted to his destination. It sent a chill through his body and a visible shake came forth. He despised having to go back to the place and yet he knew he had to face it. He had no intention of keeping the house. His idea was just to fix the place up and put it on the market, to put the whole thing out of his mind and to move to the other side of the island. He didn't need any distractions.

Chin reappeared and pulled his keys out of his pocket.

"Are you sure you don't want a ride? No questions, no comments on the situation." he asked, trying one last time.

Cody said nothing but nodded. Chin left him with a final nod and began walking out of Ilana's. Cody followed quietly.

(A/N: First time putting something on here in a long time! Please read and review. I would love to know what you all think! Don't worry, Kono, Danny, and Steve'll be in the next chapter! Free internet cookies if you can pick out various lines that are similar to others from different movies! Makes it a lot more interesting! So what do you think the situation is? What happened 8 years ago? I can't wait for you all to read the next chapter...I can't wait to read it either ;-D )


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Same as Chapter 1 :-)

Chapter 2

The elevator was completely quiet as Chin rode to 5-0. His hands were dug deeply into his pockets, his stance somewhere between calm and tense. His mind was definitely not on work. Nothing could pull him away from the confusion he was feeling. After coffee, Chin had helped Cody get his bags and then watched him hail a taxi, not leaving until the vehicle was out of sight. He had then gotten into his truck and taken a shortcut to work. It was no use driving the long way as he knew he would end up late after his time talking with Cody.

The elevator doors opened silently to an empty room. The office was lit up with the lights on and the natural light coming in from the windows. He couldn't see but he knew that Steve was most likely in his office. The man was always the first of everyone to arrive and yet hardly anyone knew it coming from the elevator. His desk was hidden from view, almost intentionally to catch visitors off guard.

Chin stepped out and headed left to the right, the direction of his office. He unlocked the door and collapsed in his desk chair. Why wouldn't Cody accept his help? It was obvious the younger male was in confliction with his emotions. And yet he came across emotionally dead or numb. While Chin could understand why he wouldn't want anyone in his life, he still wished the boy had a crutch, someone to come to when things got to be too much.

He was pulled out of his thoughts at the knock on his door. He glanced up to see Steve leaning on the door frame.

"You look deep in thought. Penny for your thoughts?" the Navy SEAL asked, taking his usual stance of arms crossed over chest. Chin ran a hand over his head.

"Met up with an old friend at the airport. Ran into him actually. He's back in Hawaii for who knows what reason. I just have a bad feeling about Cody's psyche if he's here too long." Chin told him. He was hesitant to give too many facts out to Steve. Cody deserved his privacy. But Chin knew that it wasn't a good idea to go into something with no back up. Someone should know at least if something happens and things get out of hand.

"What's his deal?" Steve asked, walking into the office and lounging in one of the chairs in front of Chin's desk.

Chin chuckled at his boss' choice of words and leaned back in his chair.

"Eight years ago, Cody was just this fifteen year old boy. Hawaii isn't exactly a happy memory for him. He basically watched his parents get butchered in front of him. One of the worst cases me and your dad dealt with. It was one of the few cases your dad let me take co-lead of with him. I was so used to your dad just training me. Overall, it's the worst case I've ever had. The house looked like a slaughterhouse. There was blood in practically every room. Bloody handprints on the walls leading upstairs. When we got there, we found the two adults in their bedroom. The man's throat had been slit. His head was nearly severed. The woman was even worse. You couldn't even recognize her." Chin paused, picturing every single detail he could remember. He continued.

"We found out from the neighbors who the owners were and they were worried about the homeowners' son. We went through the house and found Cody hidden in the back of his mother's wardrobe. He had seen everything. Except the man who did its face. He was wearing a completely black mask. Cody wouldn't talk to anyone after telling what he had seen. He just seemed...dead. He'd listen to us and do as he was told but besides that, not one word."

"Is that why he left Hawaii?" Steve asked. He was listening intently.

"We hadn't caught the suspect just yet and he had tried to come after Cody once more so we thought it best that he left the island quietly with some security until we were able to catch him. I escorted him to the airport and we sent him to Los Angeles, accompanied by a few plain clothes officers until we were able to catch our suspect in Northern Oahu. We planned to have Cody come back afterwards but it was two years before we had caught the man and Cody was already in college by then. We thought it best not to bring him back from the 'safe' world he had made for himself. Now, I'm starting to think that was a bad idea."

Steve considered what Chin had told him. He had recognized the hesitancy in the fellow 5-0 member's voice whenever he started a sentence. He knew Chin didn't want to tell him what he had. And yet Steve was glad that Chin felt he could confide in him.

"So what brought him back to Hawaii? I wouldn't think that he would want to return to the same place that his parents were killed." Steve was so confused. From what he had learned, Cody had had the worst experience of his life in Oahu and had moved on with his life on the mainland. But he had brought his life back to paradise and hadn't even told Chin why he was back in Hawaii.

"He was talking about getting his Phd in criminal psychology. He has one more year of schooling but I don't know why he wouldn't finish it at his old college. I haven't even heard from him in the past 8 years." Chin told him, lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't exactly paying attention to Steve anymore. His brain was currently cutting through all his knowledge to find out all the answer possibilities on why Cody Lawson had returned.

"He said it was time to come back and face his demons. I don't even know where he went. He didn't give me that much information or time to gather more."

Steve shrugged. He could see the conflict.

"It seems that the only thing you can do is be there in case he needs you. I'm sure he knows who you are, being law enforcement, so he'll come find you if it comes to that. Besides that, there isn't much you can do." he was trying to give the best advice but the look on Chin's face made him feel as if the advice didn't do any good. He knew the other man would have the situation on his mind for the rest of the day or until something happened.

Their conversation was cut short by the sounds of one Danny Williams ranting and raving about one thing or another. The two men hadn't even heard the elevator.

"Morning ladies!" Danny hollered, setting a bag of malasadas on his desk before heading out to the large computer. Steve smirked slightly and let out an airy chuckle. Chin raised one eyebrow.

"I saw that." he said. Steve didn't respond. Instead he stood up from his seat and left the office, greeting Kono as she appeared around the corner from her own office.

"Danny tried to force some malasadas on me when we met up outside." she accused, taking a sip of her coffee. Chin laughed. She had been to Ilana's as well that morning apparently. He still sat in his office, staring at the empty chair that once housed the Commander of 5-0. Kono, noticing the look on her cousin's face, left the two partners arguing about how bad malasadas were for health and went to Chin's abode, shutting the door quietly behind her.

"What's wrong cuz?" she asked.

"What makes you think there is anything wrong?" he asked, giving _her _the raised eyebrow. It didn't work on her. She would still keep prying.

"Trust me cuz. I know you better than anyone else. Something is raging in that brain of yours and I'm not leaving until you dish." she said with a finality that confirmed Chin's prying suspicions.

"Cody Lawson."

Kono paused in her attempt to take a drink. She had a frown on her face.

"Cody Lawson? I haven't heard that name in almost eight years. Why are you suddenly bringing him up?" she asked.

"He's back on the island. I ran into him when I was dropping cousin Haleh off at the airport. He's changed a lot cuz. Not for the better either." Chin said. He leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on his desk, his head resting in his hands.

"Why would he come back? I understand that the airport is on the other side of the island than, THAT house, but why?" she asked. Just thinking about the case that her cousin had told her all about when she was younger gave her chills. She didn't know how the once fifteen year old hadn't gone insane after all he had been through. It was amazing.

"I didn't have a chance to ask. He bolted before I could get any location out of him of where he was headed. He wants to be left alone but I'm not so sure that is a good thing." Chin's words were getting quieter, being drawn back into his brain again. He had too many bad scenarios about what Cody was doing back and why. He shuddered to think of a few of them.

There was a knock on the glass door.

"We've got a case!" Steve yelled to them before heading to his office for his gun and badge. Kono reached forward and rested a hand on Chin's arm.

"We'll talk later." she said with a promising tone.

H50

The cab had a distinctly harsh flower smell, the smell of an air freshener trying too hard to do its job. Cody didn't complain though. He had too much on his mind to think about what material things around him were wrong. The sights outside his window were familiar, all too familiar. Nothing seemed to have changed since he had left. This part of the island didn't have as much development as others.

Cody guessed that was why his parents had loved it. It was quiet with a lot of hiking trails and various other places that were serene and beautiful. He could remember running through the woods and making himself little hiding spots to have adventures in.

Sighing deeply, he rested his elbow on the window sill and then rested his chin on his open palm. The sky above had gotten slightly darker, rumbles of thunder threatening to break through. Cody had missed the Hawaiian rain. Whether it was a light rain or a heavy thunderstorm, it was comforting.

He sat up straighter in his seat as the scenery became more and more familiar, the sides of the street opening up to familiar trees and yard ornaments. He recognized them as his mother's. She always liked to have different things in the yard coming up to the house. Made the yard unique, she always said.

"Kid, are you sure you want to do this? Ain't exactly the house with the best history" the cab driver said, his accent hailing all the way from Texas. Cody looked in the rear view mirror at the driver and nodded.

"I'm sure. You can just drop me off up here. I can walk the rest of the way." he said. The driver shrugged and pulled to the side of the drive.

"Suit yourself. I wouldn't want to go any closer to that house." he said, staring up at the house and giving it an unearthly glare.

Cody hopped out of the car and went to the trunk, pulling his bags out. He handed the cabbie some money and watched as he sped off in the opposite direction of the gloomy residence. Once the cab was out of sight, Cody took a deep breath, let it out slowly and closed his eyes. He turned, eyes still closed, and faced the bad memory.

Opening his eyes, his stomach sank as he got his first real view of the nightmare. It was exactly the same as he remembered. He could remember how many steps there were; how many flower pots were left outside the front door; how many tree stumps there were near the back side of the house.

He refused to let the memories jump to the front of his mind. He was here for one reason only and he was determined to keep that as top priority. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and looped both his arms in the straps and grabbed the bag at his feet.

The stairs creaked under his shoes as he cautiously stepped up to the front door. He shakily pulled out his keys and unlocked the front door. There was an eery groan as he pushed it open.

Sunlight shone through the haze of dust that was left over from years of unuse. A layer of dust covered the floorboards and it billowed about as he dropped his bag. He did his best to keep his eyes off of the staircase, dreading going up there. Instead, he kept his attention on the family room to the left. Furniture was covered with sheets that were slightly grey with age. There were a few couches and chairs, a coffee table, and a few bookshelves. The dust on the ground was undisturbed without even a stray animal's steps. This surprised Cody as he knew there were probably a few holes in the walls that animals could get in through.

But the animals could probably sense the doom of the house too.

Cody placed his bag on a sheet covered end table and pulled one of the sheets off of a couch. Dust flew all around him, giving cause to cough and gag. He unconsciously waved his hand in front of his face to disperse the dust that swarmed him.

The couch was familiar. He could remember doing homework on this couch and watching TV late at night when he couldn't sleep. He let the sheet fall in a pile on the floor and began pulling sheets off of the other furniture. Everything became more and more familiar as material items resurfaced. Magazines that were left open on the table, blankets still unfolded as if having just been thrown off someone's shoulders and were ready to be used again.

His breath hitched in his throat and his whole body paused. On one of the end tables by the cordless phone was a writing tablet. In her neat handwriting was his mother's words _'call Brenda back about school book fair' _.

Cody's shoulders slumped and he trudged back to uncovered couch, slumping into it.

"Home sweet home." he muttered.

TBC

**Well here's chapter 2! Took me a bit since I had Chin and Cody separated. Third chapter may be a little longer in coming because things are really busy at work and in life. Plus I have to get ideas together.**

**Check out what Cody's house looks like on my profile :-)**

**Thanks for the reviews so far! **

**Please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Chin stepped out of the car that his cousin drove and walked up to the house where his boss currently was. It was a nice looking house. Someone had obviously taken care of it. It wasn't in the best neighborhood and yet it still had a rough edge to it like the others.

Police tape surrounded the nearby trees and wrapped its way to the front porch. A small crowd had gathered on the side of the street, some taking pictures of the flashing squad cars and some snapping photos of officers walking around.

"April Hayes. 25 year old grade school teacher. Didn't show up for work so her coworker came looking for her." Steve summarized.

"She found her alright." Danny said, coming out of the house, pulling off a pair of black gloves. He handed Chin and Kono each a pair and stepped to the side so the cousins could step into the crime scene. He and Steve followed closely.

Immediately, the front room was obviously seen as a major part of the scene. A trail of blood as if something or someone had been dragged was leading from beside the couch to the kitchen which was a long hallway. A bloody handprint was on the wall opposite the staircase railing as if someone had tried to run up them while hurt. Chin stepped around the blood trail and into the kitchen. There were many more officers but they moved out of the way as 5-0 entered. The back door was open, the long white curtains billowing softly in the breeze. Steve took the lead and walked out on the back porch.

Chin wanted to be sick. The young April was lying against a swimming pool, her head tilted to the side. Her eyes were open wide, staring directly at him as if waiting for him to give her an explanation of what happened.

"Give me some news Max." Steve said, getting down on his haunches. His eyes scrunched up as he examined the body. This was the closest he had gotten. After he and Danny had arrived (having an animated conversation in the car about a boy that Danny's daughter Grace seemed to like at school – Steve didn't see anything wrong while Danny looked like he wanted to hunt the kid down and shoot him), he had met up with Max on the back porch. He had seen the woman but not up close, being called back by Duke to see a few pieces of evidence he had found. Now that he was closer, he felt a tinge in his stomach. No one should have to die like that.

"It seems as if her throat was cut pre-mortem, severing the carotid artery quite severely. There are scratches and knife wounds on her arms suggesting that she tried to fight her attacker. And then there is this." Max said, pulling up the shirt. Steve was horrified. The entire stomach was cut open, revealing organs. Her large intestine was already beginning to fall out.

"So all this was done before she died?" Danny asked. He stood a little farther away, content with seeing the damage from a distance.

"I believe so. Although I won't be able to tell you for certain until I have done a proper autopsy, unlike the one that seems to have already been done to her." Max said, his voice not quite as emotional as they would have expected. But that was Max. he was nerdy and quirky and didn't always say the right thing at the right time.

Steve stood up. He turned from the horror and addressed Chin.

"Go talk to the coworker. See if there is anything about April that might help us. Ex-boyfriends, angry family, anything." he said. He then turned to Kono.

"Talk to the neighbors and see what they say. See if they have seen anything, heard anything, know anything about our victim." he instructed. They nodded.

Steve sighed and glanced up at the sun. He knew questioning would take a while. He and Danny would take the inside of the house.

"Want to flip a coin for floors?" Danny asked. He walked into the house and back into the living room, observing the blood trail. There were scuff marks throughout it as if April had still been alive when drug from the living room to the kitchen. There was enough blood to be almost certain she had been cut across the torso before being dragged outside.

He moved to the other side of the living room and looked through a pile of papers on an end table. Steve headed towards the stairs, stepping around drops of blood that littered the once white carpet. The upstairs was more closed off than downstairs. The rooms were closer together and things were scattered across the floor. A basket of laundry was dumped over, clothes spilling out. A plant pot was tipped over, soil and leaves littering the carpet. Looking closer, he noticed a boot print in the soil and immediately saved it in his memory for CSU to mark as evidence.

He turned to see Danny coming up the stairs.

"No odd mail, nothing out of place in any of the downstairs rooms except for the blood. Things must have started up here before our killer finally got her at the bottom of the stairs." he noted. He followed Steve to the dirt.

"We're definitely looking for a big guy. This shoe print has to be bigger than mine." Steve told him. Danny raised an eyebrow.

"So we're looking for an even bigger neanderthal?" he asked. Steve rolled his eyes and headed into the back bedroom. The footprint was facing away from the room so Steve deduced that the fight (if there had even been a true fight as April was much smaller than the person that killed her if the boot print was any proof) had started there.

It was a bedroom. The bed was unmade and there was a pile of dirty clothes in the corner. The closet door was open. Steve approached it and pulled it away from the door.

"Whoever was in here was sure in a hurry to get out." he mentioned, showing Danny the hole in the wall where the door knob had slammed into it.

They continued looking a little longer before Chin joined them upstairs.

"Our coworker is Julie Pern, a kindergarten teacher at Hili Education Center. She says that April was never late for work. In fact, she always arrived early to be prepared. They have lunch every Wednesday and when April hadn't shown up by noon, Julie decided to come see if maybe she was sick. Knocked on the door but didn't get an answer. She has a spare key to the house and came in. did the same thing we did and followed the blood trail. She's pretty hysterical. EMS had to sedate her after she described what she had seen. They are taking her to the hospital for observation." Chin told them. Steve listened intently, nodding his head every once in a while.

"So she had to have been killed early this morning. Max will have a TOD soon enough but I think it's safe to assume she was killed before 7 this morning." Danny said. He looked at them. They were surprised that Danny had come up with the figure of 7am.

"What? Grace goes to Hili. She's had to go in early before. Students aren't allowed in until 7:30 but teachers are let in at 7." he justified, glaring at Steve who just smiled.

"Did she have a boyfriend? Husband?" Steve asked.

"Neighbors say they used to see a man show up sometimes and April would let him right in." Kono said as she joined her team.

"Did you get a description?" Chin asked.

"Yep. One of the neighbors agreed to a sketch artist. Hopefully we get something soon." she told them.

"So...who is our mysterious guy? And who did April seem to piss off?" Danny asked.

"Let's get back. I saw the coroner's van leave a little bit ago and I want to get a full background on April Hayes before he's done with the autopsy." Steve decided.

H50

A hollow knock on the immense front door drew Cody out of his scrubbing of the kitchen. He jumped slightly, dropping his scrub brush and allowing it to thump against the freshly cleaned sink. Cody took a deep breath to calm himself and gripped the edge of the sink.

He had pulled himself out of his rememberance of his mother and had immediately gotten to work cleaning. Things were piled in front of the staircase and the stairs hadn't been touched. Cody had been using the back walkway between the kitchen and the family room to get to each room, rather than going back through the front entry way. His feet had agreed with his brain that the second floor of the house was off limits.

Glancing at his phone, he noticed that quite a bit of time had passed since his arrival. In all his cleaning and organizing, he had lost track of time. He glanced at his hands. They were almost rubbed raw, a pink in color, from scrubbing without let up. He didn't know what was going through his mind while cleaning. He was emotionally dead. When he had first arrived, he had come to terms with the fact that he had to get passed this chapter in his life and the only way to do that was face his fears.

That didn't mean he had to like it or be comfortable with it.

Wiping his hands on his plain black t-shirt, he headed out of the kitchen and to the front entry way. His feet became heavier as he approached the foot of the stairs. He couldn't help it. His eyes darted up the dark passage and tried to see through the black ink above. The shadows moved with the change of light, forming eerie shapes that seemed to resemble people. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and goosebumps formed on his arms.

He spun quickly as a harsher knock sounded on the large oak door. Grabbing the door knob, he twisted it, pulling the door open as his gaze focused on the top of the stairs again.

Suddenly, strong arms grabbed him, pinning his arms to his sides. Immediately he began to struggle, clenching his fists and pulling at his arms.

"Cody Ethan Lawson! You moron! Why didn't you tell me you were back in town?!" a burly voice sounded off in his ear, a light tone to it. Cody stopped struggling.

"Lucas, I can't breathe." he gasped. The grip loosened quickly and the older man let go. Lucas Beale was a tall man, a few years older than Cody. When Cody was 15, he was in the same grade as his 17 year old friend. The two had been friends for years. They knew everything about each other.

"So why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" Lucas asked, closing the front door behind him and following Cody into the dining room to the right. Cody dug his hands in his pockets and glanced around the now lit up room. He had replaced all the light bulbs in the faux chandelier above the spacious table and it now filled the room with a warm glow.

"My plane just landed today. I didn't tell anyone I was coming. Figured I would just get the house cleaned up and then sell it and be done with it. I wasn't planning on staying long. A few weeks maybe." he tried to explain.

Lucas crossed his arms over his chest after pushing his jet black hair out of his eyes.

"We've been friends for years then you disappear off the map. Everyone thought you were dead dude. They still do. Anyone sees you around town, you're gonna scare the crap outta them." he mentioned.

Cody could feel the tension coming off his friend. While they had been in the house plenty of times, the feeling of home and warmth had been replaced by fear and uncertainty. It was felt by everyone who had ever set foot in the place. Cody understood.

"I doubt anyone would remember me after eight years Luke. Even the people at Ilana's didn't." he informed his friend, pulling himself up to sit on the edge of the table, allowing his legs to kick back and forth.

Lucas let out a big whooping laugh.

"Everyone at Ilana's these days is a new school kid who just wants to earn a buck to party instead of attending their classes." he dismissed. Cody rolled his eyes and glanced around the room. His mother's old china set sat in the unused glass cabinet, dust and a few cobwebs taking residence. It had never been used, his mother preferring the old dishes just be decoration.

"As I recall, all you could ever talk about was the dorm parties you heard about when we were younger. I figured you would get your diploma in law breaking and laziness." he smarted.

"Oh ha ha." Lucas smirked. His expression then became sober.

"Have you been upstairs?" he asked in a quiet yet interested voice. Ice flowed through Cody's blood. His legs stopped swinging and dangled limply in front of him. He couldn't get any words to form in his mouth. His vocabulary became like a ball of soggy dough, caught in the middle of his throat. Instead, he just shook his head. Lucas though was determined.

"C'mon then. No time like the present. Let's go." he said, grabbing Cody by the wrist and tugging him up. Cody viciously yanked his arm out of his friend's grasp.

"Don't touch me again. You don't decide when it's time for me to go upstairs." he hissed. Lucas' face darkened.

"You talk of wanting to get this house done and over with. Well you are going to have to go upstairs some time." he said. He was speaking in reason and yet Cody felt like he was patronizing him.

"Fine. If you won't go up, I'll just have to dare you to." Lucas said. He smiled as if he had just won an argument and raised an eyebrow at Cody.

"Do you know how childish you sound?" Cody breathed with an annoyed sigh.

"I double dare you to. Unless you're chicken."

Cody was really getting annoyed.

"Stop it Luke. You aren't being funny." he growled, clenching his fists.

Lucas cocked his head to the side.

"Chicken. Bok bok bok!" he said, smiling.

"FINE! Just to shut you up, I'll...I'll do it." Cody gave in, his voice wavering. He really wanted to wipe the triumphant smirk off his friend's face. He pushed passed Lucas and headed back to the entry way. He slowed down as he came to the base of the stairs. The banister was dusty with no signs of use in years. Obviously no one had wanted to come into the house after everything with the police. It was to be expected.

He and Lucas kicked and pushed the various items away from the base and stood side by side, just looking up at the landing.

"You first." Cody said. Lucas' head snapped to face him.

"Are you kidding? It's your house." he said. Cody didn't look at him.

"It hasn't been my house in eight years my friend." he said, almost as if his mind was somewhere else. Hesitantly, he reached out and gripped the banister. He pulled his hand back as if burnt. But taking a deep breath, he grabbed it again, tightening his grip as if to lock his hand in place and keep from letting go and giving up.

He took the steps one at a time and very slowly. Each step felt as if he had climbed Mt. Everest or ran a long marathon. His heart pounded quicker and he could feel it wanting to burst out of his chest. He thought about turning and running. But Lucas had been right. He wanted to get it over with and get rid of this chapter in his life. The only way to do that was to go upstiars, empty out the rooms, and then he'd never have to face it again.

It felt like ages by the time he reached the top stair. It was much darker, the only light coming from the fading sun outside. His feet grew roots and planted themselves. He could sense Lucas behind him, not saying or doing anything. He felt the older male's hand pat his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he continued down the hall. He remembered the first door being the bathroom. Then came the guest room. He passed by both of these without another thought.

The next door was his old bedroom. Grabbing the door knob with an iron grip, he turned it and slowly opened the door. The light still worked when he flicked the switch and an eerie glow filled the room. Everything was as it had been years ago. His bed was still covered with the striped comforter, the pillows askew with indentations from a 15 year old's head. His CD collection was exactly how he had left it, having dug through his CDs the night of the murders and left a few in front of the rack when he went to see what the commotion was in his parent's room.

Dirty clothes still littered the floor. He could see his favorite Rip Curl shirt halfway under his bed, the blue surfboard on it as bright as the day he had bought it. He didn't even want to open the tightly closed closet which was packed with many of his most prized possessions.

Taking a few steps in, he glanced around and ran his hand across the top of the dresser. Dust collected on the ends of his fingers but he paid it no mind. He was lost in the thoughts of a time long ago. Taking a deep breath, he walked back out of the room and leaned on the door frame. Lucas stood at the railing of the stairs, hands dug down deep in his pockets.

"You okay?" he asked hesitantly. Cody nodded. They stared at each other for a few seconds before both heads turned down the hall to the remaining door. It was at the end of the hall, the door half bathed in shadows.

"One door to go kid. C'mon. Let's get it over with." Lucas said quietly.

Shakily approaching the door, Cody observed. He could see the remnants of the police tape on the edges of the door frame. He felt his entire body shake. He didn't want to do this.

"I can't do it Lucas." he whispered. His hands didn't move from his sides. He was frozen. Not a word was spoken between the two of them.

"You know you don't have to." Lucas gave in.

It had already been a big step for the younger man to come up the flight of stairs and go into his own room. But it was pushing his sanity to have him open up the grim horror room. Cody gave his head one final shake and turned and headed back to the stairs. Going down them took less time than going up. He practically ran for the light of the living room. Following at a slower pace was Lucas who clomped down the stairs and followed silently into the other room.

The air was tense.

"I'm sorry I made you go up there man. I shouldn't have been so stupid." Lucas apologized. Cody shook his head quickly.

"You were just doing your job, looking out for me. It's what a good friend should do. I appreciate it. But that room..." he trailed off, not wanting to think any more about it. He closed his eyes tightly and then reopened them, looking to Lucas.

"How about a cup of coffee?" he asked.

H50

An hour later, Cody yawned and shut down his computer which he had open on the dining room table. The emails from his professors were beginning to swim in his vision. Standing up and stretching, he headed into the living room where his sleepwear and makeshift bed of couch, pillow, and blanket resided. It was time for some sleep. Or what ever sleep one could get in a house like that.

Upstairs, the closet door to his former room eased open slightly.

TBC

**Well what did you think? I think I creeped myself out with this chapter! Please read and review. What do you think is going to happen? Do you like Lucas? **

**I know I jumped a few hours between the crime scene scene and Lucas showing up at Cody's later in the evening. Don't fret. You aren't going to miss anything on April's death!**

**Stay tuned for more! Thanks so much for reading and the reviews I have gotten so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chin felt the words on the screen swimming in front of his eyes. He rubbed them furiously and clicked to the next picture. He had spent most of the afternoon searching through April's information. Phone records, credit card bills, the works. Unfortunately, nothing had come up unusual. Chin had been frustrated. But his cousin seemed to be able to read his mind once again and had brought him lunch from a nearby cafe. He needed to remember to get her something as a thank you.  
Steve and Danny had down to the morgue to check in with Max a couple hours after they had arrived back. Steve's steps towards the elevator had been determined. He was obviously angry that this young promising girl had been killed so brutally. Even Danny had stayed quiet. They were both lost in their own thoughts. The murder was a very sobering thought for them all.  
Kono had spent her time with the neighbor in one of the interrogation rooms, talking with a sketch artist and describing what the man they had seen looked like. It was an older neighbor and Kono was worried that she wouldn't be a reliable witness as on the way over to headquarters, she seemed as if she were forgetting various facts about her own life. But after a conversation with Steve, they decided to go ahead and risk it. It wouldn't hurt and who knew, maybe they would get an accurate description.  
After one of April's neighbors had finished with the sketch artist, Chin had taken the results back to headquarters and began a search in facial recognition to find the man. According to the neighbors, the man had come to April's house quite a few times in the past but hadn't been seen in the past month or so. They described him as having short brown hair, almost a military crew cut but not quite, and a tough build. The neighbor said that the man never seemed to be a threat to April and she had hugged him many times.

The computer once again let out a whine to alert him that yet another photo had come up negative. Chin looked at his watch. It was late, almost eight thirty. It had definitely been a long day.

He looked up and glanced around. Steve still sat at his desk, typing something out. He looked at some paperwork every few seconds before returning to his typing. Chin stood up and grabbed his keys from the side desk drawer and turned the light on his desk off.

Steve looked up as he knocked on the door.

"Heading out?" Steve asked. Chin nodded.

"I figured I would take a chance on somewhere I think Cody is then head home for some sleep." he explained.

"Just remember what I said Chin. Cody may not need your help. Don't disrepair your friendship with him by pushing too hard." Steve reminded him. Chin nodded and looked away, knocking on the door frame and turning to leave.

H50

Cody was only half asleep. He hadn't had a good night's sleep since he had decided to go back to Oahu. Everytime he closed his eyes, he saw shady images. He saw the terror in his mother's eyes as she took her last dying breath.

Sleep in Los Angeles had never gotten easier. At first he hadn't ever been able to sleep because of the ominous closet door staring back at him. Within the first week, he had removed the closet door from his bedroom. Even at his dorm room, he had taken the door off and stored it in the back of the small space. At first, people were wary of him, thinking he had lost his mind. But the few friends he had made that had found out his past, agreed with what he was doing and saw it as a way he was coping with what had happened.

Turning over on the couch, he let his arms fall heavily to his sides. The old house was quiet, absent were the settling noises, the wind outside, any other noise to signify life. Cody didn't like it. He hated being alone with his thoughts.

Instantly, he sat up straight. A creak from upstairs caught every bit of his attention. It was NOT the house settling. Silently throwing the blanket lightly on the back of the couch, he set his shoe covered feet on the ground, planting them solidly. He was thankful that he had kept his shoes on. There was no way he was letting his guard down anywhere near this house. It seemed as if all he could hear was his own breath.

Standing up, he held his breath as he pinned his eyes on the ceiling. The moon shone in a few windows, disappearing behind storm clouds as they past by to join their brothers and sisters to make one giant storm. A few rumbles of thunder surrounded the house. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the front entryway where his tool bag was. He opened the zipper quietly, keeping his eyes on the stairs. Feeling around, he grabbed his crowbar and pulled himself to his feet.

He approached the stairs anxiously, his hands gripping the crowbar so tight that his knuckles turned white. His heart beat at an even quicker pace, almost as if it were trying to tell him to turn and run. His breath came out shakily but he pushed his feet forward. They were quiet on the hardwood floor and sunk into the carpet of the first step.

The upstairs hallway didn't look any different than it had earlier that night. Lightning lit up the long stretch of carpet, illuminating the various items that were decorating the floor of the upstairs.

Cody cursed himself not having thought to grab his flashlight before beginning his trek. The crowbar felt heavy in his hands. He willed himself to stop shaking. He gripped the top of the railing and pulled himself to the top of the landing. It was quiet. Breathing deeply, he started down the hallway. Starting at the guest room, he gripped the door knob and turned. There was an ominous creaking noise as the door eased open.

The only things in the guest room were a bed, a desk, and a dresser. The bed was freshly made up and the only thing covering surfaces was dust. He didn't remember much about the guest room. There had been the usual sleep overs that had overflowing guests assigned to the room or there were relatives that spent the night and stayed in there. He had no recognition of the last time.

Content that the noise hadn't come from the guest room, he closed the door and glanced back down the hall.

_Please don't! Please leave us alone!_

Cody squeezed his eyes shut as the words passed through his brain. They were in his mother's voice, the words that he remembered hearing her cry as he hid in the closet. He shook his head roughly, trying to rid himself of the gruesome memories that persistently popped up.

"_Coooddddyyyyy."_

His head popped up and his eyes widened considerably. Everything around him turned into a small whine, the only sounds were the heavy, fast paced beats of his own heart. He slowly turned his head to the side, his body firmly planted where it was. It almost felt like soemone was watching him but he was petrified to the spot. He eyed the corners of his vision, his breath speeding up.

Gathering the courage, he turned.

The door to his childhood bedroom was open slightly.

Chills planted themselves firmly over his bones. He couldn't move. He knew for sure that he and Lucas had shut the door firmly. It was always hard to open in the first place. Everything told Cody to turn and run. Run down the stairs, out the front door, and never look back.

He tried to convince himself that that was eight years ago Cody. He wasn't scared anymore.

He gripped the crowbar tighter with both hands and braced it against his thigh. He moved forward. Lightning flashed once again, shadowing out all the objects in the room. He entered the room hesitantly, keeping his eyes moving. Nothing out of the sort.

His confidence in what he was trying to accomplish was dwindled as he noticed the small crack in the closet door. The inside seemed to be darker than the night atmosphere around him. His heart sped up as he approached the open door. As he eased the door open, and paled. In the light of the slightly illuminated outside, he noticed a human shaped cubby on the floor of the closet, as if someone had been waiting on top of the various junk in the space until a specific time.

But what time?

Chills went racing down his spine as he felt eyes on him. He looked back towards the door. A complete black form stood in the doorway, ever limb accentuated by the light of the downstairs that curled up the stairs. Cody almost dropped the crowbar. His chest tightened.

"Lucas? Is that you?" he asked. He could hear his voice waver slightly.

The figure didn't move. Not an inch.

"This isn't funny." Cody ordered.

The shape took a step forward, crossing the line into the bedroom.

Eight years of alertness had seemed to prepare him for this moment. His eyes darted from the figure to the bed, working out in his brain how he could get past the form. The form seemed to read his mind and a split second later, it moved quickly into the bedroom. Cody skid around him and jumped on the bed, narrowly missing a stumble just waiting to happen. He got out of the room, feeling the figure following him.

He tried running down the stairs but was shocked as a heavy forced hit him from behind. He and what he could only assume was a man, tumbled down the stairs. The crowbar was lost somewhere between the fifth step down and the bottom of the stairs.

Cody's head cracked against the tiled entryway and he curled in on himself, grasping his head and crunching his eyes shut. His thoughts swirled as the pain in his head swelled. Uncurling, he carefully opened his eyes to see the man standing up carefully and leaning over him. Cody got his first full glance in the light of the evening lights that automatically came on when the lower floor of the house was dark.

The man was tall, almost over six foot, and he wore all black. He could see the muscles in the man's arms, suggesting that nothing got past the man, nothing physical that was.

But the scariest of all was the mask covering the man's face. It was completely black. There were no eye holes or nose/mouth holes. It was just black. It brought back way too many memories. The man knelt next to him and Cody felt gloved hands grasp around his neck. His air was quickly cut off and he tried desperately to breathe. Nothing.

He reached up and yanked on the man's hands but they only got tighter. Lightning flashed, much like the stars and white circles were flashing in his vision. This was it. He didn't even know what was going on.

His legs flailed up and down as he tried to dislodge the man from on top of him. As his energy began to wane, he took one last glance around the entryway for somehting, anything that would help. Reaching out a hand, he felt a glimmer of hope as his hand rested on the fabric handle of his tool bag.

It was normally extremely heavy, filled with drills, saws, nuts and bolts. But in a fit of strength, he grabbed it tightly and swung.

The man let out a grunt as the bag connected with his head, sending him sprawling off to the side. Cody wasted no time in pulling himself to his feet no matter how difficult or dizzy that was and latched onto the door handle. The locked turned easily in his hand and he darted out the front door, not taking a single second to look back. He ran down the front driveway and took off down the private drive, his chest hurting with each breath. He was frightened that at any moment, the man would appear in the lightning and reach for him again.

His feet pounded the pavement as he listened to the gravel under his shoes, unconsciously waiting for the sound of a second pair of shoes. There weren't any. He looked behind him, searching for any sign of movement...

...and ran right into Chin.

H50

Chin had pulled his truck into the empty drive and parked, waiting for a decision to form in his head as to what he should do. He had gotten out of the truck and began to walk, thinking that the decision would come to him if he gave it time.

He wasn't prepared for a completely distraught Cody to run headlong into him.

Cody began struggling, punching Chin in the chest and screaming, anything to get away. Chin tightened his grip and the two lost their footing, falling to their knees. Chin gritted his teeth as a particularly sharp rock dug into his left knee.

"Cody! CODY!" he yelled.

Cody seemed to recogize the voice and his struggling slowed.

"He's in the house. Chin he's in the house." Cody half cried half whispered. He clutched Chin's shirt and bawled. Chin looked from the top of Cody's head to the long drive. He began to get up but Cody tightened his grip on Chin's arms, holding him in place.

"Don't leave me. Please don't leave me." he whispered.

Chin hesitated but let himself stay rooted to the ground, tightening his grip on the distraught Cody.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Truck and Camaro pulled up at the exact same time, screeching to a halt near Chin's truck. Steve and Danny jogged to Chin's side where he stood by the open passenger door of the dark vehicle. Cody sat in the seat, an oversized discarded HPD jacket covering his shoulders. He wore a look of defeat and his eyes carried a dead look.

"Chin. Update." Steve commanded. The two were wearing their bullet proof vests as a precaution and were prepared. Chin, after having promised Cody that he wouldn't leave his side, had donned his own vest and was waiting anxiously for the two to show up.

"Cody says a man attacked him at the house. The guy may still be in there. You guys got here pretty quick. But twenty minutes may have given the man enough time to get away." Chin reported quickly. He really wanted to be the one to go into the house but since Cody didn't want to be left alone (and there was the chance that the man was in the woods around the house and would locate Cody fairly quickly) he was ready to let Danny and Steve take the lead in searching if need be.

"Alright. Chin I want you to come in with me. You know the house well and will be able to point out hiding spots." Steve decided.

Cody's head popped up and he stared wide eyed at Chin.

"Chin please don't." he whispered. Chin turned from his superior and leaned a hand on the top of the truck.

"Cody, I have to go in. I know places in there the they don't. Danny'll stay out here with you. You can trust him, I promise." he pursuaded.

Danny stepped up, offering a smile to the distraught younger male. Cody wanted to protest. Although he had been in LA for so long and hadn't been around Chin as much, he still trusted the 5-0 member much more than anyone else. He had never met Steve or Danny even though he had heard of their exploits and their impressive track record.

Clamping his mouth shut, he nodded tightly. Steve and Chin wasted no time in running towards the house, their weapons at the ready.

Meanwhile, Danny moved closer to the truck, keeping a wary Cody in his vision. He didn't want to spook him.

"He's not going to be in there." Cody said quietly. His voice held no inflection whatsoever. Danny didn't know this kid. He didn't know what he was going through.

"Don't give up just yet. If anyone can find a piece of scum in a maze, it's Steve McGarret." he reassured. There were creaks and groans throughout the woods around them. Danny fixed his eyes around him, his weapon tight in his grip. Every noise made Cody scrunch tighter to himself, wanting to disappear from the tense situation. His heart beat quickly, almost seeming to beat out of his chest and laugh as he struggled to take a deep breath. His vision was becoming tunnel, the edges closing in like smoke in a burning room. Squeezing his eyes shut, he placed his hands over his ears, his mind suddenly hearing the noise of his mother's screams, begging to be left alive. He moaned.

Danny turned from his scope of the land and observed Cody. He could identify a panic attack when he saw one. Keeping his back to Cody and his weapon at the ready, he backed up towards the younger and glanced at him quickly.

"C'mon Cody. Breathe. Things are going to be okay. You have to calm down. Slow down your breathing." he coaxed.

But Cody didn't seem to hear him. Instead, his breathing worsened and tears leaked down his face. But the breathing was the only thing that one could hear from the helpless victim. There was no sound of crying, no talking, no movement. He was locked in his own memories of what had happened those many years ago. Danny bit his lip and glanced around. He had to make a decision. He had had panic attacks before; when his daughter was threatened; when he was in a tight space. He knew that it would only get worse.

Acting fast, he shut Cody's door to the truck and jogged around to the driver's side, getting in and shutting his own door. He quickly hit the lock button and took a final glance around. Content that nothing was there and they were safe for the moment, he turned to the fetal positioned boy. He took a risk and grabbed Cody's arm. Cody jerked in his grip and tried desperately to curl up further into himself.

"Cody. You need to listen to me. It's Danny. You know who I am. Listen to my voice and start paying attention to your breathing." he persuaded.

Cody could hear Danny's calm voice in the web of horror in his brain and pulled himself towards it. He didn't want to stay. He didn't want to be in the recesses of his brain where these memories were thriving and digging at his psyche. Opening his eyes slowly, he let them focus on the darkness that was outside the realm of the street lights at the end of the drive. Tears blurred his vision and he furiously wiped them away.

"You know, I knew this wasn't over. I knew this was coming." he said absently. Danny leaned back in the seat and stared at the steering wheel.

"Kid, I can't claim to know what you are going through but you gotta help me out. I can't help you if you don't help me know what your thinking." he tried to reason. Cody shook his head harshly.

"You wouldn't understand Detective Williams." he said, almost coldly. Danny chuckled and snorted, the only sign of the amusing sound being the breath of air that came quickly from his nose.

"I hate small spaces. I don't like closets or airplane bathrooms." he started.

"You're claustrophobic."

"Yep. I know panic attacks. I know them when I see them. And trust me, it's hard to ask for help. I may not know what you are going through because I haven't been as involved as maybe Chin. But I've been through so much myself that I know that you want to be brave and you want to be the one to hold the emotion in and appear strong. But it doesn't help. It just makes you more miserable. I can see Chin wants to help. You have to help him help you." Danny finished. He didn't give a lot of speeches but when he did, they were powerful.

Cody rubbed his hands over his arms in a silly attempt to bolster his strength.

"I haven't trusted anyone for, who knows how long. What makes you think that I'm just going to let someone in?" he asked. He was trying to put on a brave front, an act. And yet he knew it was failing miserably.

"You'll never know until you try. Just give it a chance. I can tell Chin cares, he really does. Let him help." Danny basically pleaded.

Cody tried to look him in the eye but failed, looking back down at the floor of the truck.

"Okay." it was a simple answer.

H50

Chin ran a hand over his hair in frustration as he waited for Steve to reappear from the living room. The house had obviously been empty, no sign besides the scuffle of someone having been there. He hadn't gotten much information out of Cody to begin with but as the front door was wide open, they assumed that was where the incident ended. That had left the upstairs to be checked as well as the basement. No one.

Chin wasn't surprised. Twenty minutes was long enough for someone to clean up traces of ever having been there and to leave the premises unseen.

"Clear!" Steve called out as he returned to the room. The two replaced their guns in their holsters and glanced around.

"Definitely signs of a struggle. There's a cracked banister pole. I think it started upstairs." Steve remarked. He headed back to the front door and stepped out on the porch. Chin sighed and looked around. He grabbed one of the full bags that Cody had had with him earlier that day and swung it over his shoulder. Joining Steve on the porch, he walked to the side and glanced over the railing. The only movement was the slight swing of trees as the storm winds blew. He looked up and blinked harshly at the lightning.

"Let's head back to the cars. I have to make sure Cody's alright." he said. He trotted back down the stairs of the house and down the drive. The crunch of gravel behind him alerted him that Steve was following.

"So Cody returns to Oahu and immediately is attacked. Did anyone know he was coming?" Steve asked. His brain was working overtime, trying to figure out what was going on and put all the pieces together.

"He said he didn't tell anyone. It's been eight years. The case has been in a box in the file room covered in dust. I don't know who would have known that he was returning." Chin said with a frown. He looked around at the surrounding forest and overgrown foliage. The moving of the trees and the lightning made it look as if things were running around.

Things were quiet except for thunder as they traveled down the long drive to the vehicles. Chin could see Danny sitting in the front seat of the truck, facing Cody. They seemed to be conversing. Chin went around to Cody's side and knocked on the window. It was the fastest reaction he had seen from both men in the car. Cody ducked down quickly while Danny's weapon lifted from his lap and pointed at the window.

"Danny it's me." Chin called out, putting his hands up. Cody sat up fast and opened the door, turning to let his feet hang out of the truck.

"No one was there were they." he said, sure of himself.

"No there wasn't." Steve said from the other side where Danny had opened his own door. Steve was leaning in, looking at the youngest.

"Did you tell anyone that you were coming back? Any friends? Teachers?" Chin asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Cody shook his head firmly.

"I don't have many friends on the mainland and my teachers haven't really bothered me about my plans." he reported.

Chin wasn't sure what to do. It was then that he remembered the bag hanging over his shoulder.

"I grabbed your bag. You're staying with me tonight." he told the boy, leaving no room for discussion. Cody nodded and looked at Danny. Danny nodded encouragingly. Cody looked back to Chin.

"I need help."

TBC


End file.
